


It's You Forevermore

by senorbunnicula



Category: Check Please! (Webcomic)
Genre: 5+1 Things, M/M, This is so ridiculously fluffy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-10
Updated: 2016-05-10
Packaged: 2018-06-07 15:13:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,422
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6810565
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/senorbunnicula/pseuds/senorbunnicula
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Five times Jack thought about marrying Bitty and one time he said something.</p>
            </blockquote>





	It's You Forevermore

**Author's Note:**

> Title from the song "I've Never Been in Love Before" from the musical _Guys and Dolls._

**(1)**

 

Jack closes the front door of the Haus, pressing back against it as he stares down at his phone, trying to think of something to say. What exactly do you text to the man you’ve just kissed for the first time, the man you’ve only just realized you’re hopelessly in love with?

Have been in love with for _ages,_ if Jack is being honest with himself. Looking back, it seems so obvious. How has he not figured it out until today?

He’s certainly not going to let Papa know that he (and Uncle Wayne) are responsible for Jack’s epiphany. Papa will be _completely_ insufferable.

Jack looks down at his phone, at the open text message, still wondering what to write.

 _I miss you already,_ he types, but pauses before he sends it. Is that too clingy? It seems a little needy. After all, he’s not even sure whether or not Bitty even lo--likes him back or not, and he doesn’t want to come on too strong.

Better play it cool.

 _Marry me_ pops into his head and he thankfully stops himself before he actually _types that, what the actual_ **_fuck_ ** _that is_ **_so not_ ** _playing it cool._ Jack’s not exactly an expert on relationships but he’s pretty sure that proposing approximately thirty seconds after your first kiss is not something that you’re _actually_ supposed to do in real life.

Especially not with a text message.

Even if the idea of being married to Bitty sounds like the best thing ever.

But Jack’s still not any more sure than he was five seconds ago that Bitty even wants him.

Maybe he should establish that, first.

Yes. That’s probably best.

That’s definitely an in-person sort of conversation, though.

His phone buzzes again. He’s missed four texts from George.

 

 _Where on earth did you run off to?_  

 _What’s the ‘Zimmermann charm’ and should I be worried?_  

 _Your dad keeps waggling his eyebrows at your mom. It’s weird._  

_Jack??_

 

 _On my way,_ he sends as he begins walking away from the Haus.

He turns and gives one last glance up towards Bitty’s room.

Aw, fuck it, he thinks as he texts Bitty, his heart racing. Screw playing it cool.

Well, he’s still not proposing yet. So at least there’s that.

 

_I can’t wait to kiss you again._

 

**(2)**

 

“So, then, Tater says something in Russian and just _leaps_ onto the guy, and I mean, Tater seems like such a softy, but he gets _mean_ when he’s--” 

Jack pauses in the middle of his story when he notices the look on Bitty’s face. 

“What is it?” he asks, concerned. 

“It’s just...I miss you a lot,” Bitty says with a deep sigh, and Jack can see his cheeks flushing a bit as he nuzzles Señor Bunny’s fur. 

Jack feels a blush crawl down his neck and suddenly finds himself in the strange position of being jealous of a stuffed rabbit. Why does he have to be all alone in a hotel in Philadelphia? Why can’t _he_ be at Samwell, wrapped in Bitty’s arms, Bitty’s face pressed against his hair? 

 

 _Señor Bunny sleeps in Bitty’s bed every night._  

 _Señor Bunny will undoubtedly spend the rest of his life with Bitty._  

 _I want to spend the rest of_ **_my_ ** _life with Bitty._  

_In his bed every night._

 

Jack manages to pull himself away from that train of thought before he starts actually wishing he _was_ Señor Bunny--after all, the rabbit doesn’t get to play hockey. 

Or make out with Bitty. 

(At least, Jack hopes not.) 

“I miss you, too, _mon_ _cœur_ _,_ ” he says finally, instead of what he _really_ wants to say--has wanted to say for months--but it’s been hard enough asking Bitty to be his secret _boyfriend;_ it would be impossible to ask Bitty to be his secret _husband._ Jack’s not going to do that to him. To either of them. 

Bitty’s cheeks flush darker as his mouth curls up in a pleased smile, as always happens when Jack manages to push an endearment past his embarrassed lips. Unlike Bitty, who calls him _honey_ and _sweetheart_ and _darlin’_ as though they’re no more difficult to say than his name, Jack can hardly bring himself to call Bitty anything but _Bitty._ Even calling him _Bits_ feels almost monumental, and Jack’s heart leaps into his throat every time he manages to say it. 

“I know we’ll see each other in just a couple of weeks,” Bitty says, delicately touching his computer screen with the tips of his fingers, and Jack reaches out to match him. “But honestly, honey, it’s so _difficult,_ lookin’ at you but not bein’ able to touch you.” 

“I know,” Jack says, his voice roughening with emotion, with the desire to tell Bitty everything that’s in his heart. He clears his throat. “I know just how you feel.”

 

**(3)**

 

Jack smiles down at his phone as he reads Bitty’s texts.

 

 _omG THAT SHOT AHHHHHHH_  

 _YOU’RE AMAZINGGGGG_  

 _HAT TRICK !!!!_  

 _I’m so proud of you <33333_ 

_YOU WOOOOOOOONNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN_

  _I LOVE YOU! :*_

 

 _Thanks, Bitty, I love you, too,_ he sends back. 

“Your Eric, he is pretty neat,” says Tater, and Jack’s eyes shoot over to him. “Good for you; make you less grumpy.”

 “I’m not grumpy,” Jack protests, grumpily, running a hand through his sweaty hair.

 Snowy snorts. “How the hell did you manage to land a guy like Eric, Zimmermann, because he’s way too good for you,” he says. 

“Hey,” Jack objects as he tucks his phone into his bag, but his heart’s not in it, because Snowy is absolutely right.

"Do not listen to Snowy, Zimmboni, you are...how you say it, catch,” Tater says loyally, squeezing Jack’s shoulder with one big hand.

“Thanks, Tater.” 

“Snowy is just being jealous that he is too ugly to get cute boyfriend like yours.”

Snowy scoffs. “I was voted Hottest Falconers Player last year, unlike your scrawny ass.”

“That is before Zimmboni is coming to play with us,” says Tater. “Also, everyone knows votes on Internet are not being scientific. You probably have your mother do all the voting for you, yes?”

“Fuck you very much, you bastard.” Snowy flips Tater off before sauntering out of the locker room.

“I was telling truth before,” Tater murmurs to Jack as he finishes stowing his gear. “You are very much happier since you are telling everyone you have boyfriend and can be holding Eric’s hand now.”

“I am,” Jack repiles, smiling a little. “It’s a huge load off my mind, to be honest.”

“Now you need place ring around him,” says Tater, beaming.

“What?” Jack shoots him a puzzled glance.

“Like in song on radio that Eric was singing with in car yesterday,” Tater explains, holding up his free hand and flipping it back and forth. “You know, ‘ _you like it so you put ring on it’_ ,” he sing-songs.

Jack flushes. He’s thought about proposing to Bitty more and more since both he and Bitty have officially come out--Bitty to his parents, Jack to the whole world--but the timing has never seemed quite right.

Now, though, he’s got both Tater _and_ Beyoncé singing at him to do it.

 _And when Queen Bey tells you to do something,_ Bitty’s voice says in his head, _by God, you_ **_do it._ **

 

**(4)**

 

“Why don’t you come help me take a look at the burgers, Jack?” Coach asks. “They should be about ready to turn over.” 

Jack shoots Bitty a glance. Bitty nods encouragingly at him, so Jack follows Bitty’s father out into the Bittles’ back yard. 

He and Coach stand in silence for a moment as Coach lifts the lid of the grill and inspects the cooking burgers. 

“You ain’t visitin’ to ask my permission to marry Junior, are you?” Coach asks suddenly, not looking at Jack as he flips the meat on the grill. 

“W-what?” Jack stammers, his eyes widening. Was he _supposed_ to do that? Is that how people did things in Georgia?

Jack wishes Bitty would _tell him_ these things _._  

Coach looks over at him, his lips curled up in a slight smile, a smile Jack has seen many times on Bitty’s face. “I might not be the smartest fella,” he says, raising an eyebrow at Jack, “but I know a man in love when I see one. I’ve noticed the way you and my son look at each other.”

“I do love him, sir,” Jack says, meeting Coach’s eyes. 

He wishes there was a way to say just _how_ much Bitty means to him. How inadequate the words _I love him_ are in conveying just how deep Jack’s feelings run.

“Bitty is the best thing that ever happened to me,” he says at last, which still isn’t enough, but at least it’s something. 

“Good,” Coach replies. “I admit, I wasn’t the most supportive when he first told us he was gay, but I’m slowly finding my way to the twenty-first century. As long as you make him happy.”

Jack’s not sure how to respond to this. _Does_ he make Bitty happy? Sometimes, Jack thinks he must be more trouble than he’s worth to Bitty. His anxiety and his celebrity and his constant travelling for his games and all the shit that comes with all of those things--

“There’s only one Bittle whose approval you need to marry my son,” says Coach, pulling Jack out of his rapidly darkening thoughts. 

Coach points his tongs at Jack. “And that’s Junior.”

 Jack just nods.

 Coach closes the lid of the grill and pats Jack companionably on the shoulder. “Good talk,” he says with a firm nod. “Let’s eat.”

 

**(5)**

 

“Congratulations, Bits,” Jack says, tugging on the tassel dangling from Bitty’s mortarboard. “Finally done with college, eh?” 

“Thanks, honey,” Bitty replies, smiling up at him. “I can’t believe it’s finally over.” 

Jack cups Bitty’s face in his hands and leans down to press a chaste kiss to Bitty’s lips. “I’m so proud of you.” 

“You’re not gonna just kiss me and run off, like you did at _your_ graduation, are you?” Bitty teases, wrapping his arms around Jack’s waist and pulling him closer. His cap falls off as he tilts his head back to meet Jack’s eyes. “Not sure if I can handle it; I don’t have a chair to catch me when I swoon this time around.” 

“Absolutely,” Jack deadpans, settling his hands along Bitty’s shoulders. “Kiss and run, that’s my seduction method. It worked out pretty well for me the first time; so I figured I should do it at every graduation ceremony either of us have.” 

“I don’t think so,” Bitty replies, tightening his hold on Jack. “I ain’t lettin’ you go now that I have you, Jack Zimmermann.” 

At that, Jack practically sags into Bitty’s arms, bending down to press his cheek against the top of Bitty’s head as he slides his his hands along Bitty’s back. 

Bitty presses his cheek into Jack’s chest. “This is nice,” he hums.

“I like holding you,” Jack murmurs, curling his hands into the back of Bitty’s graduation robe.

“Me, too,” says Bitty. “Honestly, darlin’, I could do this for hours.”

“Oh, good,” Jack sighs. “I’m writing it into my schedule.” 

Bitty giggles. “Gonna tell your coaches? ‘Monday through Friday, 2:30-3:30 PM: Cuddles with my boyfriend.'”

Jack pulls back far enough to look down into Bitty’s eyes. “Only an hour?” He presses a light kiss to Bitty’s temple. “That’s not nearly enough time.” 

Bitty’s cheeks go a bit pink. Jack loves it. 

“How long would be long enough, Mr. Zimmermann?” Bitty asks, smiling up at him. 

 _Forever,_ he thinks. _The rest of our lives. Til death do us part._  

“Hmm,” he says, trailing his fingers up and down Bitty’s spine, “I’ll let you know.”

 

**+1**

 

Jack sighs contentedly, pressing a kiss to Bitty’s neck before settling his head on Bitty’s bare chest. He curls one hand around Bitty’s waist, running his thumb along the jut of Bitty’s hip.

“What’s going on in that head of yours, honey?” Bitty asks softly as he runs gentle fingers through Jack’s hair.

Jack doesn’t say anything, just inhales slowly, breathing in the scent of Bitty’s skin.

“I love you,” Jack says, with sudden urgency. “You know that, right?” 

“Oh, sweetheart,” Bitty replies, smoothing one hand down from Jack’s hair and along his cheek, gently nudging Jack’s gaze up to meet his own. Bitty’s cheeks are pink and his dark eyes are warm and soft. “I know,” he says, tracing his fingertips along Jack’s jaw line. “And I love you, too.”

 _Do you_ **_really_ ** _know?_ Jack thinks desperately as he tears his gaze from Bitty’s and presses reverent kisses along Bitty’s collarbone. _I need you, god please marry me, I want to be yours forever._

“Did you say something?” 

Jack freezes. Had he said that out loud?

“You don’t have to tell me,” Bitty assures him, stroking his hand along Jack’s bare shoulder soothingly. “But it felt like you were talkin’ a bit.”

Jack thinks about all the times he’s wanted to propose to Bitty, and how something has always held his tongue.

He abruptly sits up, pulling out of Bitty’s loose grasp. “I was,” he says. He thinks of the small velvet box tucked into his dresser on the other side of the room, but it suddenly seems too far away, as though if he takes the time to get out of the bed to find it, he’ll lose his nerve again.

Jack takes a deep breath, and, bolstered by Bitty’s open expression and encouraging smile, manages to get the words past his teeth this time.

“Bitty--Eric-- _je t'aime-_ -I love you more than anything,” he says, reaching out to place one hand along Bitty’s cheek. “I have never been happier than I am with you.”

“Oh, Jack,” Bitty breathes, and his eyes are a bit wet.

“I want to spend the rest of my life with you,” Jack continues, his gaze fixed firmly on Bitty’s. “Will you marry me?”

“Oh, _Jack,”_ and now there are tears slipping down Bitty’s cheeks. “Honey, of _course I will.”_ And with that, he flings his arms around Jack’s neck and begins kissing Jack all over his face--forehead, nose, cheeks, lips.

“ _Magnifique,”_ Jack manages to say in between kisses.

Bitty abruptly pulls back. “Jack Laurent Zimmermann,” he says, firmly, “I love you, and I am extremely happy right now, but I am certainly _not_ going to be the one to tell Moomaw you proposed to me while we were _naked._ ” 

Jack just laughs.

**Author's Note:**

> I have a couple of tumblrs if you wanna come talk to me!
> 
> My CP! sideblog is [senorbunnicula](http://senorbunnicula.tumblr.com) and my main is [thegreatsporkwielder](http://thegreatsporkwielder.tumblr.com).


End file.
